by Trisha Lescano
Why do students use AI in the first place?
Well, I’d like to say that I personally think one of the primary reasons that students turn to AI is due to procrastination and desperation to create an immediate output wherein the misuse of this platform may come into play through plagiarism.
I read somewhere in the London Journal of Social Sciences that AI actually opens multiple pathways of exploitation for students especially in these growing times where technology is advancing quicker than expected. It also opens up about how there is an increase of ethical challenges faced by students and teachers due to the integration and misuse of AI.
Additionally, while we’re on the topic of academics, a very important thing to take into consideration as well is a student’s motivation. That’s another reason that I believe correlates to why students turn to AI, the lack of motivation to create original outputs wherein their dependency on these platforms also take a role. I’ve heard from HICSS that procrastination stems from demotivation and negatively affects a student’s mindset on how to handle their academic workload. This then goes back around to how due to this dependency, the students’ may create outputs that fall within the spectrum of plagiarism, unintentional or not.
Let’s try and think of a way to explain how AI could lead to plagiarism! Hmmm, so, imagine that you’re a painting! An incredibly beautiful and unique painting with your beauty being worth tens and thousands of pesos! But, the thing is, you are an amalgamation of all other artworks of talented artists. You are not a collaboration, you are a collage in this sense then. Your so-called “creator” then proceeds to sell this painting for a huge amount of money, claiming you as their original work; their masterpiece. All of the sudden, the artists of the artworks used to make you find out and start demanding it back, but, with you already being sold, there is nothing left of their own work. The artists then legally demand your “creator” for the unrightful use of works as they weren’t ever theirs to begin with.
Lastly, now that we’ve tackled why students resort to AI, of course, we also have to take in consideration the effects of these. I’ve seen an article from Oregon State University wherein an abundance of students who use AI actually start having difficulties in analyzing misinformation, malinformation, disinformation, etc. due to the built up dependency on these methods. Studies show that their media literacy is actually harmed when exposed to too much artificial intelligence.
As a conclusion, I feel like it is only appropriate to say that a way to actually lessen this problem within academic premises is to implement more Media Literacy related programs and regulate the use of AI. After all, what good is work without a human soul to incorporate effort?